Memorial Day ~ Blessed is Their Memory

Dear Mr. Amazing Man -

I do not often allow myself to look squarely in the eyes of what it means to be married to this lifestyle we have chosen together. However, today is one of them.

I sit here at my desk, in my air conditioned home, listening to the morning song of birds as their lyrical melodies filter across the pool. Later, our children will wake up. I will have to choose what to feed them for breakfast - eggs, yogurt, or hot cereal? Bananas or grapes? Then we will prepare for our afternoon party with friends from church.

I am well aware so few mothers in the history of the world have been fortunate enough to enjoy this level of security and peace, and yet here I sit, one of them. 

The intellectual and physical freedoms I enjoy this very moment were purchased by the sacrifice of men, such as yourself, throughout the generations of this country. As it is every day when you are gone, I am ever mindful of your sacrifice and your willingness to do the right thing, even when it is hard. I am mindful of the patriot's blood coursing through our children's veins, the blood of men who fought in the earliest struggles for our beloved country's freedom and independence.  I am mindful and I am grateful, grateful there are individuals such as yourself who have stood ready throughout the course of this great nation's history to defend and protect these same freedoms.  I am ever mindful of the ultimate and eternal sacrifice of families such the Stacey and the Zembiec families. I am mindful and I am grateful for those who have laid down their lives in the exertion to secure these freedoms for others.

Today, I honor them.

Today, as I go about my activities in this beautiful land, I will do so in honor of men like Doug. I will laugh with my children because they cannot laugh with theirs, I will spend time with family and friends because they cannot spend time with theirs. I will plan and dream for the future because they cannot plan for theirs.  I will teach our children, "He that is a soldier in defense of such a cause, needs no title; his post is a post of honor, and although not an emperor, yet he shall wear a crown--of glory--and blessed will be his memory!"

And blessed is their memory.

Much love and belief in the amazing man you are -

M. 

US Marine Sgt. William Stacey

"Your exertions in the cause of freedom, guided by wisdom and animated by zeal and courage, have gained you the love and confidence of your grateful countrymen; as they look to you, who are experienced veterans, and trust that you will still be the guardians of America. As I have the honor to be an American, and one among the free millions, who are defended by your valor, I would pay the tribute of thanks, and express my gratitude...

US Marine Maj. Douglas Alexander Zimbiec, "The Lion of Fallujah"

 "Although your private concerns may call for your assistance at home, yet the voice of your country is still louder...Never was a cause more important or glorious than that which you are engaged in; not only your wives, your children, and distant posterity, but humanity at large, the world of mankind are interested in it; for if tyranny should prevail in this great country, we may expect liberty will expire throughout the world. Therefore, more human glory and happiness may depend on your exertions than ever yet depended upon any of the sons of men. He that is a soldier in defense of such a cause, needs no title; his post is a post of honor, and although not an emperor, yet he shall wear a crown--of glory--and blessed will be his memory!"

US Marine Sgt. William Stacey's body is returned to the U.S. Feb 2012

--A Freeman (as appeared in the New England Chronicle, Nov 1775).

(Stacey, 23, a member of the 2^nd Battalion, 4^th Marine Regiment, was killed by a roadside bomb while on a walking patrol in Now Zad, a onetime Taliban stronghold in Helmand province.)

(US Marine Maj. Douglas Zembiec, the Lion of Fallujah, was killed in action May 11, 2007 while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. )

I Heart the South

I love living here along the gulf coast, I really do, at least during citrus season. 

Feast your eyes on these lovely blood oranges from the co-op this week!!! While I don't particularly care for the name "blood orange" (why can't we call it a sangria orange instead? Same meaning, such  a lovelier name, isn't it?) At any rate,  this bunch are particularly tasty. Their typical raspberry flavor has actually spilled over into a cherry flavor. So amazing. And look at the color of their skin! Just gorgeous.

And here's the pile of Meyer lemons I got this week, too. Did you know Meyer lemons are a cross between a Mandarin orange and Eureka lemon? That's why their skins are thinner and the flesh a bit sweeter.

All I can say is yum. Now I have to figure out what to do with all of this gorgeous citrus! I was thinking of a orange marmalade (can you imagine the color!?) and some more preserved lemons. Any other suggestions or ideas?

Fort Walton Beach FL Stake RS Conference

Dear Relief Society Sisters -

Here is a copy of the hand out from the class today. Later, I will see about posting all of my notes, and perhaps a few more links to resources for open (free) learning courses.

I hope to hear from some of you soon - I would love to help you begin to set up learning plan of your own.

Smooches -

M.

_________________________________________________________________

The Glory of God is Intelligence

Ft. Walton Beach Stake Relief Society Conference

February 25, 2012

 “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.”  (D & C 130: 18-19)

"You belong to a church that teaches the importance of education. You have a mandate from the Lord to educate your minds and your hearts and your hands. . . . There can be no doubt, none whatever, that education pays. Do not short-circuit your lives. If you do so, you will pay for it over and over and over again." —Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Jan. 2001.

"Because of our sacred regard for each human intellect, we consider the obtaining of an education to be a religious responsibility. . . . Our Creator expects His children everywhere to educate themselves." —Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, Nov. 1992, emphasis added

Seven Secrets I Learned on the Way To A PhD

1.    It’s About Fire Building, not Just Bucket Filling

a.     “The glory of god is intelligence, or in other words, light and truth. Light and truth forsake that evil one.” (D&C 96: 36-37)

2.     Unlearning leads to Real Learning

a.     “Curiosity is the very basis of education and if you tell me that curiosity killed the cat, I say only the cat died nobly.” - Arnold Edinborough

3.    Lifelong learning is Exactly That: Lifelong

a.     “I believe in the pursuit of education. What is education? Reduced to its most simplistic definition it is the training of the mind and the body. . . . It is something that need never stop—no matter how old we grow we can acquire knowledge and use it. We can gather wisdom and profit from it.”
—Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 170

b.     “Learning is not achieved by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams

c.      "The day you stop learning is the day you begin decaying." ~ Isaac Asimov

4.    Get Online and Go Places for Free While in Your Bunny Slippers

a.     OpenCourseWare: http://www.ocwconsortium.org/

b.     Peer2PeerUniversity: http://p2pu.org/en/

5.    Hie Thee to the Library, Girl: Books are still your best friend

a.     “Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:118.)

b.     “If you don’t read, you have no advantage over those who cannot read”

c.      If the library doesn’t have it, use the InterLibraryLoan system (ILL)

d.     Build a family library of classics. Read them with & to your children

                                               i.     http://www.tjed.org/resources/classics/

                                              ii.     http://www.kidsreads.com/lists/classic-lists.asp

                                            iii.     http://www.eagleforum.org/educate/1997/june97/list.html

                                            iv.     http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3672376/110-best-books-The-perfect-library.html

6.    It’s Not About Benjamins and Alphabet Soup (But it is, sort of)

a.     “The Lord and His Church have always encouraged education to increase our ability to serve Him and our Heavenly Father’s children. For each of us, whatever our talents, He has service for us to give. And to do it well always involves learning, not once or for a limited time, but continually.” (Henry B. Eyring, New Era, April 2009)

b.     “You need all the education you can get. Sacrifice a car; sacrifice anything that is needed to be sacrificed to qualify yourselves to do the work of the world. That would will in large measure pay you what it thinks you are worth, and your worth will increase as you gain education and proficiency in your chosen field.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, Jan 2001)           

7.    Explore, But Don’t Wander

a.     “Spiritual learning comes first, but is clear that putting spiritual learning first does not relieve us from learning secular things. On the contrary, it gives our secular learning purpose and motivates us to work harder at it.” (Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, October 2002).

b.     “True learning must have a powerful spiritual component. That spiritual element, when it is effective, refines and uplifts the aims of our total education. . . . Remember, you are interested in education, not just for mortal life but for eternal life. When you see that reality clearly, you will put spiritual learning first and yet not slight the secular learning. In fact, you will work harder at your secular learning than you would without that spiritual vision.” Henry B. Eyring, New Era, April 2009)

Become a Lifelong Learner: You Can Take it With You!

(Or in Other Words, More Good News from the Gospel of Jesus Christ)

“The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.”

~ B.B. King

1.     Develop a plan in consultation with the Father

a.     What makes your heart sing?

b.     What skills would bless your family, ward, or community the most?

c.      What resonates with your values and goals? (do you have values and goals? – another class for another day!)

d.     Don’t be afraid of the big learning projects that God might ask you to do. Be Nephi – if you don’t know where to begin, ask to be led to the ore so you can make the tools you need to build the boat.

e.     Write it down – keep a “To Learn” list

2.     Set aside a dedicated learning time.

a.     Most of us can find 15-30 minutes a day

3.     Identify community resources and groups

a.     Face to face vs. Online

b.     Formal education vs. Self-directed

c.      Groups, guilds, and clubs

d.     Find a mentor, guide, or coach: Most people who are true experts LOVE sharing their knowledge with others. L.O.V.E. it. Don’t be afraid to ask!

4.     Read about it, write about it, DO IT, share it.

5.     Rinse and repeat

Pinspired: A Valentine's Day Wreath

I made this the other day. Wrapping all that yarn was both therapeutic and mind-numbing, all at the same time. Perhaps it was therapeutic because it was mind-numbing, now that I think about it.

At any rate, The Professor is thrilled with how it turned out and after all, I made it for him. His is the only opinion that really matters.

Here is the picture from Pinterest that inspired this latest spate of craftiness:

Source: remodelaholic.com via sostinkinhappy on Pinterest

Happy crafting, y'all! (I can officially say that now because I live in "Lower Alabama.")

Much love,

M.

My 2012 Resolutions

1. I resolve to laugh more, worry less.
2. I resolve to love more, resent less. 
3. I resolve to listen more, talk less.
4. I resolve to trust more, control less.
5. I resolve to pray more, stress less.
6. I resolve to save more, consume less.
7. I resolve to teach more, dictate less.
8. I resolve to move more, sit less.
9. I resolve to read more, surf less.   
10. I resolve to be thankful more, grumble less.

What are your 2012 New Year's Resolutions?

Halloween..er...trunk or treat

Today was the ward Halloween Party Trunk-or-Treat Party. There were about 5,875 more people there than I was expecting, but that's OK, because I wasn't in charge.  The Professor thought it was awesome that so many people were getting together to celebrate my birthday (which was today). I had to remind him the party wasn't for me, but it sure was a nice way to spend the evening of my birthday. And it was.

Here's the Professor's costume for the night: 

And here is Sweet P. (sans her adorable hat, which Mommy left at home somewhere between the place where it was hanging and the car.)

Here's a picture of her costume hanging up.  Hopefully I can get pictures of her in the whole thing on Halloween.

Captain Knuckle decided not to dress up this year and spent the evening scaring the little kids with his hand-in-the-candy-bowl trick instead. He cut a hole in the bottom of the bowl and then inserted his hand from the bottom. He covered his hand with candy and when the kids came by to get some, he told them to get a piece - then he grabbed them with his hand! It was quality entertainment.

What I Did Today

Today, I did nothing even remotely responsible.

I have not read one book.

I have not written one sentence (well, other than these).

I have not cleaned one thing.

Instead, I was inspired by this lampshade I found at Pinterest (via The Pleated Poppy)...

...and then I did this:

I bought an old lamp shade for $1.50 at the Waterfront Rescue Mission Thrift Store (arguably the best thrift store in the area).

I stripped all of the silk off of it (and saved it to make the Professor's scarf for his Halloween costume. He is going as Balloon Boy, or rather, Hot Air Balloon Boy.)

Then I raided my quilting and sewing scraps and did this.

 Then I stuck it on a lamp base I had, just because I was dying to see what it would look like with a light behind all the different fabrics. (Don't worry, this isn't the permanent base nor the permanent location for this lamp shade. I think it might go in my office or over the bar area as a pendant lamp - I haven't decided where as of yet.)

I used a lot more scraps than the inspiration project, but it suits me just fine.  Looking at it now, I also think it needs some lamp-jewelry around the bottom. I will have to see what I have in my stash. But seriously, look at how happy those fabrics are when they are all lit up by the light!

All in all, it was a nice way to spend the afternoon while Princess P. napped. But now I have to clean up, arguably my least favorite part of being irresponsible for the day.

Pumpkin Cookies (Grain Free)

Thank you, Sarah over at The Healthy Home Economist! These cookies are amazing and are certainly going to be a hit with the family (if there are any left by the time they get home!)

And yes, they taste as scrumptious as the recipe sounds.  (I actually added about another cup of almond flour to give them a bit more body.) YUM!

I am already thinking of really great ways to use this cookie recipe for fall desserts around The Happy House.

While wasting time on Pinterest

Source: None via Tia on Pinterest

I came across this gem. I sure hope when the Professor gets older, my husband does this exact same thing.

(Have I mentioned I married into a family of Star Wars geeks and my son seems to have inherited the geek gene?)

Lest We Forget

I will not surrender; I will not submit.

A Letter to My Hair

Dear Hair:

I give up. You win.

I can no longer fight against what is and what has always been, particularly in the face of all this humidity.

You are curly. I could sort of pretend you weren't when I lived in drier climes, but here in the Gulf Coast? Not so much.

Every day since I moved here you have screamed at me, "Give it up, girl! Put down the flat iron and round brush and just walk away."

So today, you win.  Instead of trying to slick back the curly escapees and pin down the naughty waves, you can have at it.

Much love,

M.

That Day

On a crystalline blue, blistering hot Saturday summer evening 22 years ago, my older sister was killed in an alcohol related car accident on I-15. She was on her way to Lagoon with some friends when the very young and very inexperienced driver came up on some traffic that had slowed down because of construction.

Go figure. Construction on I-15 in the summer time? Some things never change.

The young driver was only going about 55 MPH, but like the others in the car, she had been sipping rum and Coke. She slammed on her brakes, started to skid and spin, then over-corrected. 

At some point, Carolyn was ejected through the windshield of the car, even though she had been sitting in the back seat, without a seat belt of course. Seat belts would not have helped much in this case. In fact, if the girls had been wearing seat belts, all four of them most likely would have died. As it is, two of them died - my sister and the driver - and two others who were ejected before the car hit the semi survived - barely.

Thinking back on this, a wry smile steals across my face. No, not about the death and dying part, but the part about where she was sitting when the accident happened.

If Carolyn was ever in the back seat, she always wiggled her way into the middle and leaned forward onto the front seats so she could talk to whomever was up front. Not safe nor smart, but that's just how she was, always wanting to talk, to be engaged in life and whatever was happening up front.

The back seat and back of the line was never good enough for her.

She was determined to not miss a single moment of life. I can only imagine she was smiling and laughing with that infectious laugh of hers when she was launched into eternity, eagerly leaning forward between the front seats.

Even though she was killed at about 5:00 p.m. that evening, we didn't find out about the accident until later that evening. She had been carrying fake ID (had she been the one who bought the rum?) and so the police had a hard time identifying her and locating her next of kin. It didn't help that her body...well, let's just say there was no visual ID made. They only asked for identifying marks below the shoulders to ID her.

I found out she had died when I returned home from spending time with my friends.

I pulled up at around 11:30 pm, my 17-year old avocado green 1972 Buick Electra rolling in like a tank. Nearly every house on the street had lights on. Every light in my house was on. My parent's car was gone. I could see someone vacuuming the living room through the plate glass window.  Neighbors were standing on their porches.

Something was dreadfully wrong. 

As I got out of my car and heaved the massive door shut, one of the twin brothers who were two years younger than me came running out of the house like an prison escapee. It took me several minutes to register what he was yelling at me.

Carolyn was dead. 

Within a few days, we would be having a closed-casket funeral for her. My best friend would be gone and my whole world would start to unravel at the seams, wildly spinning out of control for years to come.

But at 11:00 a.m. that Saturday morning - that morning -  all was well when I stopped by College Terrace where my sister lived to visit a friend.

I saw Carolyn getting into her brown station wagon. I leaned over the balcony as far as I could to get her attention yelling, "Carolyn, Carolyn, CAROLYN!!! I love you!!!"

She looked up, flashed a huge grin, threw both arms over her head like an Olympic gymnast and yelled as loudly as possible, "I love you too, Munna!"

Munna. That was her pet nickname for me because she was in too big of a hurry to say all the syllables and consonants in my name. It was the last thing she would ever say to me.

Looking back, I can remember how she winced in the bright sunlight and was a bit unsteady on her feet. I now know it was because of the alcohol she had been consuming.  There were so many things I didn't know about her, but I knew the important things.

She was a devoted sister. She would have moved heaven and earth for me. She was fiercely loyal to me.

She loved me.

That's all I needed to know.

The Day Before That Day

When I needed a summer job between my junior and senior year of high school in 1989, my big sister helped me land one at the photography studio and film lab where she had been working for the past year.  Our summer hours were so very normal, especially for a high school girl like myself. 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday with an hour off for lunch.

The Friday before the accident, the day before that day, we had gone to Arby’s for lunch, the two of us in her car with no air conditioning. We pulled up to the drive-thru to order while Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldiers” blared on the radio and the heat of late August radiated through the floorboards. 

I don’t remember exactly what we ordered, but I remember we both got turnovers. She got apple and I got cherry. Every since that day,  I can’t eat one of those without thinking of her, belting out Bob at the top of her lungs as we cruised along University Avenue. 

“If you know your history, then you would know where you are coming from, Then you wouldn’t have to ask me, Who the ‘eck do I think I am.”

As we ate in the break room back at the studio, we chatted.  It was just sister-talk; you know, easy banter about boys and college and had I seen "Weekend at Bernies" at the dollar theater yet?  

Then, as she finished her apple turnover, she grew serious and still. 

This was so very unlike her – she was always moving. She was a sliver of light that weaved and bobbed through shimmering aspen trees, not a contemplative alpine glow that stretched across the valley. 

“Munna (her pet name for me), do you think it is weird that Mom has twelve kids and not one of us has ever had a major injury or illness? I mean, no one has even broken a bone!” She leaned into the word twelve, her voice lingering over the vowels. 

Her voice dipped and her blue eyes clouded when she asked, “Who do you think will be the first of us to die?" 

There was a long pause. At 16-years old, death was a stranger to me. That happened to old people or really sick people, not one of us.

She let out a sigh, gathered up the left over bits and pieces of lunch, and then said resolutely, "I am pretty sure it will be me and when I die, I want Stairway to Heaven played at my funeral. Promise me you will make that happen." 

Whatever storm had settled in her thoughts for those few moments was gone.  She flashed me a huge mischievous grin and said, "Mom will never let that happen, but wouldn't that be awesome?" Then, in her voice that was always off-key, she sang: 

"There's a feeling I get when I look to the west and my spirit is crying for leaving...Oh it makes me wonder. "

We laughed at her inability to carry a tune. I promised her I would make sure they played Led Zeppelin and nothing else at her imaginary, in the future funeral, and then we went back to work.  

At about 4:30 p.m., she came up from the film processing lab to tell me she was headed out a bit early to go camping with some friends and she would see me on Monday.

She left, trailing Bob Marley lyrics behind her as she exited the front door, letting it slam behind her, 

Looking up from the paperwork in front of me, I watched her walk in front of the long plate glass windows at the front of the reception area, her blonde chin length hair swinging and flashing in the summer sun. She danced down the sidewalk and sang out to the passing cars,

“Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival.” 

She turned the corner and then she was gone.

Opening Today

I can't believe I am actually doing this.

Really.  Am I am crazy, or what?

Wait...don't answer that question. I am not sure I want to know the answer!!!

Today, the Professor and I set off on a new adventure - home school.

First, let me be honest and say how much I hate the term "home school." It conjures up images of strange, backward children who can't put three sentences together in an intelligent manner to anyone NOT in their immediate family, girls who wear dresses made of calico print fabric their mom picked up for $1 a yard at Goodwill, and whole wheat everything.

Any of you know me at all realize I am so not that type of mother.

Sure, I wear skirts almost every day of my life, not because I think God told me to but because I find them ridiculously comfortable (and definitely NOT made of calico). Sure, I make whole wheat stuff quite frequently, but I also make a lot of stuff with good old fashioned unbleached Gold Medal flour as well. But me, a home schooler?

Not in a million years.

I much prefer the term "home educator" and that we are "home educating" the Professor.

Maybe it is because I have know to much about the school systems here in the U.S. that I really don't want to "school" my wee ones because it smacks too much of...well, the school system.  Our schools are currently set up to teach people how to follow orders, respond to the bell, and then move along little darling, move along. This is fantastic if you are hoping to produce workers who follow orders, respond to the bell, and then move along on their merry way.

However, if you want something more for your child, you are outta luck. The vast majority of our current schools are not set up to teach children how to love learning, how to think like an entrepreneur, and how to be responsible for their own lifelong education.  

For parents who want more of love of learning and less order following, what choice to we have but to step outside the system and provide this for our children on our own? (That is, unless we are fortunate enough to live somewhere with a thriving charter school that subscribes to our educational philosophy).

Which brings me to my second "let me be honest" moment: Did I mention I just spent the last five years of my life earning a PhD with an emphasis in ADULT education and my dissertation is about GRADUATE education? Did I mention I have ZERO experience teaching at an elementary-aged level?

Did I mention I am scared silly to home educate my son?

I mean, what if I break something? What if I don't do it right?  Which leads me to my third and final "let me be honest" moment which is my biggest fear of all: What if this grand experiment simply proves I will never be a good enough mother and my children will be irreparably harmed simply because I am their mother? 

I know, I know, I know.  I should let it go after all these years and most of the time, I do a pretty darn good job of putting that crappy thinking in it's place. But still...there are moments, like now, where those old doubts and fears creep out of the closet.

So if you are reading this, say a little prayer for me (and the Professor!).   I could certainly use all the extra help I can get at this point.  This home education adventure feels like a huge test of my ability to parent just as much as it is a test of my ability to teach. The teaching part I have down, no worries. It's the other stuff I am worried about.

Much love,

M.

I'm a Little Tea Pot

So my sisters-in-law and I were in town yesterday and oddly enough, found ourselves a thrift store. (Go figure. Us, at a thrift store???)  One of them happened across this amazing tea pot, tea cup, and saucer. She just wanted the tea cup for her tea cup clock (for $1 who wouldn't want that cup and saucer?!!!). However, when she saw me giggle with delight over the tea pot ($3) and then look longingly towards the tea cup, she generously sacrificed and let me have it. Wasn't that nice of her?

So for a grand total of $4, I now own this charming set.  I don't drink tea, but they will most certainly be put to good use at the Happy House.  I can't wait to figure out what to do with them. Suggestions? Ideas? Recommendations?

Make New Friends, But Keep the Old

I was at a thrift store with my sisters-in-law who are here visiting. Imagine that - us, at a thrift store? Crazy talk people, crazy talk! (Not really that crazy, actually. If there is one phrase that defines my sisters-in-law it is thrift store junkies. They always find the most amazing stuff at thrift stores.  Can you say hello! GAP pants for $5 that look like they have never been worn and fit like a dream?  Wherever they go, they find a thrift store to visit. If I am with them, I get to tag along for the fun.)

At any rate, there we were in a thrift store.

And I happened upon these beauties in the book section. Eleven of the twelve Woman's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery cookbooks.  I nearly wept for joy at seeing these for SO CHEAP at the thrift store. While some of them have some yellowing, overall, they are in excellent condition.

Unlike the ones I grew up with.

I read, used, and loved the set my mother owned until the spines were broken and the covers were falling off the stained and sticky pages. These cookbooks define my growing up years in the kitchen and I have longed for a set of my own.

Man, I loved these cookbooks. I mean L-O-V-E-D them. The reason? They were part cookbook, part textbook, and part dictionary. What isn't to love about them???? Finding them in tucked in among the other books at the thrift store was like stumbling upon an old friend. I know it sounds sappy, but I almost started crying I was so thrilled to see them there and to find them is such great shape.

I remember reading this section when I was young and realizing that an aspic (even if it was "crystal-clear" and "shimmering" was just Jell-O with vegetables or meat bits in it. I thought it strange then and I still do, all these years later. 

See what I mean? This illustration of aspics looks an awful like Jell-O, doesn't it? 

Here is a fine example of the textbook aspects of the cookbooks. I remember lounging about on long summer days, reading from these textbooks and dreaming of the things I would someday create from the recipes and the exotic places I would travel to get ingredients. From these textbooks cookbooks I learned far more things that a young girl in Orem, Utah should have ever known about cuisines and cooking techniques of the world.

And the pictures - oh man, the pictures!!! I still love them as much now as I did back then, though perhaps for different reasons. 

Bacon. According to my Samoan brother-in-law, everything tastes better with bacon.  I just adore the vibrant, vintage-y colors of the photos.

And the illustrations - look at this wonderful illustration! I bet your cookbooks don't have illustrations of dancing people in it (unless you own these cookbooks).

And how about this illustration of a banquet? Dated but utterly charming and hilarious all at the same time. 

But the thing I love most about these cookbooks are the recipes found in them, recipes that define my childhood years.

Like this banana-nut bread recipe. (Pecans please, never walnuts. While you are at it, throw in some chocolate chips, too, thankyouverymuch. Call me when it gets out of the oven and I will be right over with an ice-cold milk chaser.)

I love this recipe. I mean I really, really, REALLY love this recipe. Primarily because it makes consistently fabulous banana-nut bread but also because it reminds me of being young and in my mother's kitchen.  There was a fair amount of hope in the messes I made, and excitement for where life would take me. Things have certainly turned out far different than I could have ever imagined but the recipes I learned from these books have remained constant and true.

Like all friends of the oldest and best sort should be.